Multiple-cylinder gas-engine.



A. R. CLAS.

Patented June 19, 1917.

ATNT FFEQ ANGELO ROBERT CLAS, 0F SHEBOYGAN FALLS, WISCONSIN.

MULTIPLE-CYLINDER GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1%, 1917.

Application filed October 27, 1915. Serial No. 58,121.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANGELO R. CLAS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Sheboygan Falls, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Visconsin, have in vented new and useful- Improvements in Multiple-Cylinder Gas-Engines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the'accoinpanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to multiple cylinder gas engines, and has for its object to so arrange the cylinders that the total length of the engine may be kept within reasonable limits for use in automobiles, though sixteen cylinders or twenty-four cylinders, or more, are employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single head construction for a plurality of rows of cylinders with such rows of cylinders positioned at an angle to each other to form the V type of engine, the single head construction carrying the valve mechanism for all of the cylinders of said rows and the intake and exhaust passages for accommodating such rows of cylinders.

Another object of this invention is to provide for water cooling all of the cylinders of an engine of this type in the same water jacket, as well as water cooling the head constructions thereof.

"With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the multiple cylinder as engine as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the different views.

Fi re- 1 is a transverse sectional View of a multiple cylinder gas engine constructed in accordance with this invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a side view of such an engine of the sixteen cylinder type, with the head removed from the near side thereof.

in these drawings 10 indicates a crank casing which has a crank shaft 11 journaied therein and which has preferably formed integral therewith the cylinders 12 arranged in angularly disposed rows, the engine shown containing four of such rows, though there may be more or less. The rows of cylinders radiate from the crank shaft and each contains four or six cylinders, or many as desired, but the outer ends of the cylinders instead of lying in planes at right angles to their axes are so arranged that for two adjacent rows of cylinders they lie in the same plane. The rows of cylinders having their ends in a common plane also have valve pockets 12 formed integral therewith and dressed off on such plane, there preferably being a flange surrounding each cylinder and its communicating valve pocket to form a tight fitting connection with the plane bottom of a cylinder head 14 which is of a width to in clude both of such rows of cylinders, and is of such length as to include all of the cylinders .in said rows. Also terminating in these common planes and engaged by the flat surface of the bottoms of the cylinder heads are the edges of a single water jacket 15 preferably formed integral with the crank case 10, such water jacket forming one large cooling chamber inclosing all of the cylinders. Each cylinder head 14 is hollow and is divided by a partition 18 substantially parallel with its flat bottom so that it is'provided with a lower space and an upper space, the latter forming a cylinder head water jacket 17 which preferably Eommunicates' with the main water jacket 15 in any convenient manner. The lower space of each cylinder head is divided by longitudinal partitions 18 into a central intake passageway 19 and exhaust passageways 20. Spring seated intake valves 21 and exhaust valves 22 pass through the cylinder head and control communication between the cylinder and the intake passageway 19 and exhaust passageway 20 respectively, the intake valves being contained in the valve pockets 13. Each cylinder head is provided with a suitably operated cam shaft :23 actuating rocker arms 24 for operating the intake and exhaust valves of the two rows of cylinders, and preferably a cap or shell-like covering 25 fits on each cylinder head to inclose the mechanism carried thereby.

Suitable means for communicating with the intake passageway and the exhaust passageway of the several cylinder heads may be provided, but the intake passageway is preferably provided with a central pipe connection 26 which may be cast integral with the cylinder construction and terminating in the commonplane with the ends of the cylinders so as to have connection madetherewith by a suitable opening in the bottom of the cylinder head at the center thereof.

When constructed in accordance With this invention a multiple cylinder gas engine of sixteen cylinders, or twenty-four cylinders, or even more, may be so condensed as to be suitable for use under the usual hoods for automobiles, and the single head construction for two rows of cylinders simplifies the construction, making it less expensive to manufacture and more easily accessible and enables the use of a single Water jacket to surround all cylinders. head construction furthermore serves to strengthen. the engine by tying together the two rows of-cylinders at their outer ends.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A multiple cylinder gas engine having a plurality of rows of cylinders arranged at an angle to each other, the outer ends of the cylinders of two rows on each side of the engine terminating in a common plane, and a single head for each side of the engine secured thereto along such plane and provided with reciprocating valves for all of the cylinders of said rows.

2. A multiple cylinder gas engine, comprising a plurality of rows of cylinders symmetrically arranged in pairs of rows at an angle to each other on each side of the engine', the outer ends of the cylinders of each pair of rows terminating in a common plane, a single Water jacket surrounding all of the This single cylinders and having its edges terminating in said planes, and a single head for each pair of rows of cylinders closing the ends thereof and engaging the edges of the Water jacket and having a water jacket with its edges terminating in a meeting plane to communicate With the single water jacket of the cylinders.

3. A multiple cylinder gas engine having a plurality of rows of cylinders arranged in pairs and radiating from a crank shaft, the outer ends of the cylinders of each pair of rows terminating in av common plane, a single Water jacket inclosing all of the cylinders and having its edges terminating in the planes of the ends of the cylinders, a head for each pair of rows of cylinders comprising an intake passageway and an exhaust passageway and having a plane bottom face to fit against the ends of all the cylinders of said rows and against the edges of the water jacket, and suitably actuated intake and exhaust valves in the head controlling openings connecting the intake passageway and the exhaust passageway with the interior of the cylinders, there being a partition through each head forming on one.

side thereof a water jacket communicating with the water jacket around the cylinders. In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

ANGELO ROBERT CLAS. Witnesses:

J. G. LUDE, H. A. LAUDMEHR. 

